Thanks For The Tea
by Violets in Bloom
Summary: Oneshot. Draco is overly concerned when Charlie comes home with a fever - and Charlie hasn't got a clue why Draco is so nervous. Slash


**This is one in a collection of Draclie stories that my sister and I have written. **

**Disclaimer: According to JKR Charlie is single and Draco married a Greengrass. I'm sure that you can tell that I am not JKR.**

**---------------------**

The first thing Charlie did when he came home from work was throw off his heavy coat onto the table in the living room and proceed through the door into the bedroom without a word.

Slightly nervous, Draco, who had been home and waiting for him for over half an hour, followed and found Charlie lying across them middle of the bed, sweat visible on his forehead.

After having an explanation demanded of him, Charlie assured Draco the he was affected by nothing more than an average fever he was sure he had picked up from a co-worker. If it had not been for his throbbing headache, Charlie would have been amused by the vaguely horrified expression Draco still wore.

Five minutes later, having no desire to spend the rest of his day sick in bed and being slightly curious about what Draco had so quickly rushed out of the room to do, Charlie walked into the kitchen, suppressing shivers even under two of his red Weasley sweaters.

Draco stood in front of the stove with a mug of 'It's a Charm - Insta-Soup' in one hand and a full cup of tea in the other.

Charlie grinned quietly and walked forward. Wrapping his arms around the tall blonde, he rested his chin on his shoulder and leaned his face in against his neck.

"What are you doing up?" Draco snapped, though with obvious concern in his voice. He turned to look at Charlie, but that only allowed him to bury his face deeper into Draco's hair.

"Why shouldn't I be?" he mumbled, speaking warmly behind Draco's ear.

Draco stepped back, surprising Charlie, who found two hot drinks being placed in his hands and an irritated Slytherin directing him to rest on the couch.

Annoyed, he obeyed, wincing as his headache flared up again. He briefly wondered what was causing Draco to be so frustratingly - _like his mother_, as disturbing as the thought was.

Charlie settled onto the couch with a pillow behind his back and took a large swallow of the herbal tea before closing his eyes and leaning his head back comfortably.

He smiled as he heard Draco sit on the carpet next to him and felt long fingers barely brushing the tips of his hair back from his forehead. Charlie turned his face to welcome the touch, but opened his eyes with a frown as Draco sharply pulled back.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked, speaking the first words that came to mind, but soon regretting it as Draco donned the defensive sneer that served as a very clear sign that he was offended.

"Your ill," Draco stated, as if that was all that needed to be said.

Charlie attempted to sit up with a queasy stomach and while balancing two boiling liquids but gave up with an aggravated groan and turned his head back toward the scowling man next to him. "Its not the bloody plague, Draco."

"Does it matter?" Draco inquired with a softened and slightly hurt expression. "You're in pain and burning up and there's nothing I can do about it."

Charlie raised his eyebrows, still confused as to why a simple fever caused Draco so much concern. "That doesn't explain why you won't touch me."

"I don't want to get sick for the first time with whatever you've got," Draco explained with an unusual nervous look, and Charlie laughed out loud.

"You've never been sick before?"

Draco shook his head once as his defensive attitude reappeared along with a guarded expression.

"Not even a cold? How is that even possible?"

"The servants weren't allowed anywhere near me if any of them were ill, and my mother made sure that I never went into cold weather without proper clothing."

Charlie laughed again and shook his head as he tried to remember a single summer that none of his siblings had caught the flu. Sometimes still, the contrast of his childhood with that of the person he loved most in the world was mind-boggling.

He placed the soup on the floor and reached up, placing his slightly clammy hand on the side of Draco's cool face.

"I love you," he said smoothly when Draco stayed still. "And thanks for the tea."

----------------

**Written by Iluvenis**


End file.
